United States:

Lauren Oliver: Puntas Abiertas at Salon

On view:
August 1 – 15, 2024

Talk with Lauren Oliver and Rubi Aguilar
Thursday, August 1
6:30pm

Salon
224 Roebling St
Brooklyn, NY 11211

More about Salon
More abour Lauren Oliver and Puntas Abiertas, the book

We are excited to invite you to an intimate showing of new work and a thought-provoking discussion on the power of hair in shaping personal identity and creating community. This special conversation of Lauren Oliver and Rubi Aguilar Jones will take place on Thursday, August 1st, at Salon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. An exhibition featuring a selection of self-portraits, photograms, and ephemera from Lauren’s darkroom practice will be on view from that day until August 15.

“When I was 18, I wanted to prove to myself how little my hair meant to me and how little power it had over my identity. So, I went to a salon in Williamsburg with my then-boyfriend to get both our locks cut off and donated. It was meant to feel romantic and liberating, but an hour later, I found myself looking in the mirror, unable to recognize the person staring back at me, trying to hold back my tears.

Going from long silky dark hair to a full-on pixie was a huge jolt to my system. I had wanted to be free from rigid beauty standards, but there I was, staring at the mountain of strands around the salon chair, wishing I could turn back time. It was in the days that followed that I fully understood the weight of my hair and my relationship to it. My hair made me feel beautiful and feminine. It made me feel strong and secure. It made me feel connected to my heritage in a way that language could not. It made me feel powerful and healthy, and without it anchoring me in place, I felt quite lost. Since then, I have been dedicated to regrowing my hair and reflecting on its importance through photography and filmmaking.” —LO